DCHP-1 Online

canoeman

• 1 n. Hist. one of the canoemen or boatmen, usually a French Canadian, Orkneyman, Indian, or Métis, who crewed the vessels of the inland fur trade.

  See also: voyageur (def. 1a)  

  • 1703  (1905)  . . . the canoe-men sometimes ply on their knees. . . .
  • 1824  (1955)  . . . the Canoe men [got] to an opening in the last point over which is a Portage. . . .
  • 1963  At the settlement . . . there was little difficulty in recruiting Indian canoemen for the next leg of their journey to Ottawa.

• 2 n. any person skilled in handling a canoe.

  • 1849  Our canoe was "set up" with difficulty, though our canoe men . . . were very powerful with the pole.
  • 1953  My canoemen . . . were John Panayshees, Jimmie Kenozha Peter. . . .